They found it had been modified to travel more than 31mph (50km/h).
But were they actually going 50km/h?
The vehicles killing people can move thousands of pounds at 200km/h+ without any modification, despite there being absolutely no legal roads where those speeds are permitted in 99% of the world.
Why is the effort being put into e-bikes that might, maybe, perhaps reach speeds that are among the slowest speeds for most car traffic?
This, the only time I even hit the regulated 28mph is either because I’m on a road where the speed is 30 but cars are going much faster, or I need to get up our 18-28% grade hills with groceries, and I literally need all the power I can get while hitting about 9mph at 1,300w.
These rules for 20mph class bikes are great if you live in flat AF zones, but swiftly change with heavy payloads on steep, steep terrain. And that’s not even including riding on the same roads as vehicles that can easily do 40-50mph down arterials if the police aren’t around to keep them at 30. I’ve seen people on lime scooters doing 15mph (speed limited) on those same roads…
I’d also argue that setting very low motor wattage caps is dangerous for the same reasons you describe: inclines, getting away from cars, etc.
When I’m using my e-scooter, I rarely need to go faster than 25km/h (it caps out at <30km/h, anyway), but I had one that could reach over 40km/h, and it was a much more appropriate device for riding on roads alongside cars.
But none of that makes any difference if cars are going 100km/h+ on roads marked 50km/h max speed!
Why? Lawfare by the car industry. Also why four-wheel velomobiles/pedal-electric cars are banned on bike lanes in many countries. A 7 year old post about it. The situation has improved somewhat since then, but I don’t know exactly how and where.
Derby city centre is mostly pedestrianised, as are a lot of UK city centres.
St Peters Street is one of those areas. That’s why they were pulled over.
That’s why they were pulled over.
I’m confused. Were they pulled over for having an e-bike in those areas, or because the e-bike was modified? This would change the context quite a bit.
Probably for riding what is effectively an electric motorbike down a pedestrianised street.
It’s Derby, so I’m guessing they were riding like dickheads (which happens regardless of them being electric or not), were stopped and were then found to have modified the bikes into something that requires a license and insurance, meaning they could be confiscated.
Maybe it’s more about the rapid discharge of cheap crappy batteries and causing them to overheat and combust at crotch level.
“Are your balls insured, sir?”
To play devils-advocate, if these modifications were made using UL approved batteries and a proven BMS, would there be a problem?
If not, then the concern is misguided and police should be targeting the types of vehicles more likely to kill people.
Like Cadillacs modified to jump. Those things are dangerous!
Or, maybe it’s because to drive a car you’re supposed to be an adult, have had lessons, taken tests, and be licensed; whereas none of these apply to e-bikes.
Edit: to be clear, I’m not implying that all, or even most, drivers are good ones, only that The State has performed a basic litmus before allowing people to operate motor vehicles.
We were almost turned into a smear on the local walking/bike path by a teenager on what I would call an electric motorcycle. The path is maybe 6ft/1m wide and he was going over 30mph, (It’s hard to judge) swerving in and out of “oncoming traffic” to keep his pace. It was terrifying.
That’s arguably a different problem than the OP, because ICE motorcycles are already not permitted on the trail. Presumably some people think if it has two wheels and is electric it’s a bike and therefore allowed.
Or, maybe it’s because to drive a car you’re supposed to be an adult, have had lessons, taken tests, and be licensed; whereas none of these apply to e-bikes.
And yet the vast majority of motorists don’t follow road rules, while cyclists do (unless it’s unsafe to follow them), and cyclists tend to be better drivers, too.
Strange how that works.
We (society) have to look at risk based on statistical facts, not discrimination.
YoU gOt a LoIcEnSe Fo tHa??
Ha ha say the line, Bart!
I am for regulation of e-bikes
BUT
One day my back break felt loose on the trip home. I was taking 'er easy until a car sped passed me on a residential street going downhill. The speed sensor got kicked askew by a bush or something, right then, and when the computer can’t tell your speed it locks into second gear. I was in first, so I pedalled, felt the motor kick in a little too hard and then braked because of the car that swerved in front of me, back brake didn’t pull as hard as the front and I went over the handlebars.
The crash forced the brake into the throttle so the bike spun out over the road.
It was a good quality bike too, not some wal-mart model.
I phased out for a few. There was a crowd, a few had their phones out to call 911, I told them not too. Someone said “I’ve never seen an e-bike do that.” I saw the bike spinning out, rolled over and caught it to take the brake off the throttle.
I had a twisted ankle and a few scrapes but was otherwise okay. E-mailed the company about it, said they were hogtied by regulations. I got an engineer buddy to “fix” the bike so it wouldn’t happen again.
Point is, having control of your vehicle and knowing it’ll work intuitively is safer than limits that are only meant to work in ideal conditions. Regulate the speed we go and not the speed we could potentially go. And wear a fucking helmet.
What if I had battery energized jumping shoes that made me run really fast by providing a huge sprint length every time I touched the ground?
